Finishing as the state runner-up at 126 pounds as a sophomore last year, Wyckoff started wrestling against heavier weight classes to gain an edge on his competition in order to complete his quest for a state title.

A two-win day at the Northern Section Masters wrestling championships at the Redding Civic Auditorium on Friday was a good start.

Wyckoff won by technical fall 19-4 over Chico's Gianni Bruzon in the first round at 132 pounds and then overwhelmed Anderson's Jorie Taylor for a second period pin in 3 minutes, 30 seconds to advance to the semifinals, which are scheduled to start Saturday at 11:30 a.m.

"It helped me focus more on technique rather than trying to push everyone over with my strength," Wyckoff said about his strategy this season. "It helps when it comes to speed, to get around those big fast guys that are stronger."

Wyckoff, the top seed and No. 2 ranked wrestler at 132 pounds in the state, recorded his 32nd pin of the year, two off from tying Paradise's school record, which he set last year.

As a two-time section champion, with an eye on his third, the two-day Masters tournament provides him an opportunity to get ready for state. It's a different mindset where others are striving to finish in the top three in each weight class to earn a state berth.

"All this is to prepare for state," Wyckoff said. "You can't walk through it and it shows you what competition you have, where you need to be and it helps you when it comes to those final matches with endurance to push your way through."

Wyckoff is one of two Bobcats to reach the semis with teammates Devon Wilkerson (126s). Chico has four in Morgan Sauseda (106s), Jared Alves (120s), John Leal (160s) and Malik Hopkins (285s).

Orland has six semifinalists while Sutter has the most with 10.

Sutter leads the team scores after the first day with 113 points, and is followed by Chico (69 points), Orland (67.5), Corning (60) and Paradise (46.5), respectively, to round out the top five.

PV is seventh with 38 points, Las Plumas is 11th with 32, Durham is 15th with 22 points.

Weigh-ins begin at 8 a.m. Saturday with the third round (consolation) beginning at 10 a.m.

106s: Orland's Hugo Punzo and Sauseda are both in the semifinals with each picking up two wins by fall. Sauseda's never reached the second period.

113s: PV's Daniel Mahan is in the semis with a first-round win by fall (1:30) and a second-round win by major decision 16-2.

120s: PV's Michael Briscoe, the top seed, pinned Orland's Fermin Ortega in 56 seconds and won a 10-1 major decision over Paradise's Levi Morgan. Chico's Alves got a third-period pin (5:05) over Sutter's Jace Heryford to advance to the semis.